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Amazon brings Alexa's Follow-Up Mode to Fire TV Cube
Last week, Amazon updated Fire TV Cube with the Alexa Announcements feature (which lets you dictate a message that the other Echo devices in your home will broadcast) and notifications from your smart doorbell and camera. Now, Amazon's giving the device even more parity with the Echo ecosystem by adding Follow-Up Mode and multiroom audio.
iOS 11.4 will add multi-room and stereo audio to the HomePod today
Apple will release iOS 11.4 today, which, with the inclusion of AirPlay 2, brings more functionality to the HomePod. Though other speakers, like the Amazon Echo and Google Home already feature multi-room audio, the HomePod didn't launch with that capability. It also hasn't yet supported stereo pairing. But with today's update, the HomePod now supports both features. Users can sync their HomePods with other AirPlay 2-enabled speakers and play audio throughout multiple rooms. They can also pair two HomePods to create a stereo system. HomePod will launch in Canada, France and Germany on June 18th.
Roku bought a Sonos-like company focused on multi-room audio
You've probably never heard of Dynastrom, but Roku has. The streaming player company acquired Dynastrom last month, a Danish firm building multi-room audio software, Variety reports. The news follows an earlier report from the outlet in September, which noted that Roku was seeking audio experts for new roles. That led to speculation that the company was building a smart speaker of its own -- an increasingly intriguing category, albeit one that seems surprising for Roku.
Beoplay M3 is B&O’s cheapest multiroom speaker yet
Bang & Olufsen speakers generally sound pretty great, but they're also just as well-known for being very expensive. If you want to outfit a house with wireless speakers, like the Beoplay M5, it's going to get even pricier. Fortunately for those who like B&O's sound and style, there's a new, slightly less expensive option: the $299/£279 Beoplay M3. That's half the price of the Beoplay M5, which will make it a lot easier to get a handful of these and place them around your home.
Sonos will add AirPlay 2 support for direct control in 2018
If you watched in envy as your Spotify-loving friends controlled their Sonos systems from within the music streaming app, hoping Tidal and AirPlay 2 would follow, there's reason to celebrate. The audio firm has announced support for those services as well as Pandora. AirPlay 2 won't be out until next year, but Pandora and Tidal will be available before the end of 2017. Meaning, you'll be able to control a multi-speaker system via your streaming app of choice rather than Sonos' own kludgy application. It's the latest step Sonos is taking to provide a platform-agnostic experience, where almost everything works with its hardware regardless of who's providing the music.
Marshall's updated speaker line packs Chromecast and multiroom audio
Marshall has been lending its signature guitar amp aesthetics to headphones and speakers for quite some time. However, there was one notable omission in the company's feature set: multiroom audio. Today, Marshall is announcing an update to its wireless speaker line that gives its existing Acton, Stanmore and Woburn models some current features.
Amazon adds multiroom audio control to Echo devices
There were rumors earlier this month that Amazon was working on incorporating multiroom audio into its Echo line and today, the company has announced that it's done just that. For those with Echo devices in multiple rooms, you'll now be able to play music on a specific device or group multiple speakers together.
The best multiroom wireless speaker system
By Chris Heinonen This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. We've spent hundreds of hours over several years testing multiroom wireless speaker systems in every possible room—even outside—and Sonos remains the best option for most homes. It supports the widest variety of streaming services, offers excellent sound quality across its lineup at varying prices, and its apps offer unparalleled ease of use. The competition is catching up, but Sonos still offers the most complete and reliable package overall.
B&O's Beoplay M5 wireless speaker has a lot of competition
Bang and Olufsen revealed its pricey Beoplay A6 wireless speaker back in 2015. Here at CES, the company has a new model that also handles multiroom audio. The Beoplay M5 projects that trademark B&O sound 360 degrees from a device that's designed to be a showpiece rather than extra clutter. Just like the A6, wool speaker covers are interchangeable so you will have options for what looks best in your home.
Sony's Google Cast speakers are ready to put music in any room
Back at CES, Sony announced new multi-room audio gear with a soundbar and two speakers to put music all over your house. Now, a few months after their debut, those devices are available to actually buy. As a refresher, the HT-NT5 soundbar features six speakers that are angled upward to better project sound and Sony's so-called Super Tweeter tech to lend a hand with high-res audio. It's also Google Cast friendly, which means streaming music, podcasts, etc. from the likes of Play Music and Spotify is a few taps away.
Philips' izzy offers simple take on multiroom audio
As expected, a number of companies debuted multiroom audio gear here at CES, but Philips aims to make its system the easiest to use. With the izzy line of speakers, the company's goal is simplicity while still offering all of the perks of a multiroom setup. To accomplish that, the izzy speakers don't require an app to get going. Instead, the speakers create their own network by using so-called izzylink tech to pair with each other. When I asked if users should be concerned about range, a Philips rep assured me it wouldn't be an issue. I look forward to putting that to the test in the future.
Bang and Olufsen's BeoSound 35 is an 'all-in-one' soundbar
If you're familiar with Bang & Olufsen, you're well aware of its high-end audio gear for the living room. At CES, the Danish company is showing off its latest speaker: the BeoSound 35. Taking on the design and speaker layout we typically see in soundbars, B&O has far greater aspirations for the BeoSound 35. Rather than only serving as a means of boosting audio from your television, this speaker is meant to be what the company calls an "all-in-one integrated music system." What does that mean exactly? Well, support for streaming services like Spotify and Deezer is integrated into the unit, so you don't have to futz with your phone to get the tunes going. It also supports Google Cast, AirPlay and Bluetooth connectivity.
Sony's connected speakers take aim at Sonos, but come up short
When it comes to connected speakers and multi-room audio, Sonos is the clear leader in the clubhouse. Its devices are also typically more expensive than the competition. Sony, a name with a lot of home theater experience, is offering its own Sonos-like system with a collection of three speakers. The company's "SRS" line was announced earlier this year, and while the trio also features the larger SRS-X88 and SRS-X99, I've spent the past few weeks with the entry-level model, the $300 SRS-X77. With Sonos being the go-to name for gear like this, Sony has quite the uphill climb. That said, it at least makes a valiant effort.
CasaTunes Air bridges traditional whole-home audio with AirPlay
So you've made it big time, you've got it all. The car, the toys and a big house with a whole-home audio system. The thing is, as great as your CasaTunes Music Server is with its in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, the ability to integrate with the latest and greatest AirPlay devices is still missing. Well it was anyways, as the new CasaTunes Air you can stream any content from your CasaTunes Music Server to all your speakers, AirPlay or any other. Even better, the music can be on your iOS device or stored on your server -- but you can still control the whole thing from your phone or tablet. CasaTunes Air is a feature of the new CasaTunes version 4, which we can only assume is a free upgrades for existing CasaTunes Music Servers.
Sonos Sub review
More Info Sonos' wireless Sub adds extra thump to your Sonos system for $700 (ears-on) Sonos Play:3 review Sonos S5 ears-on review: a premium iPod speaker dock without the dock Every audio product Sonos has delivered so far has worked on the assumption that you would never need anything else after you bought it, whether it's linking to a sound system you already owned or an all-in-one system that Sonos built itself, like the Play:3 or Play:5 (born as the S5). The newly released Sub, by its nature, is entirely dependent on having one of the two Play speakers, and shows the company is becoming more of a traditional audio brand with a full ecosystem. A primary Sonos component can now be just the first step in a growing collection that improves as you expand it -- much as you'd buy a basic stereo, then better speakers, then more at a high-end audio shop. The Sub's $699 price certainly catapults any Sonos system into high-end territory, however, and sets some decidedly lofty expectations for how it will perform. We'll find out after the break if the sheer power and a few clever tricks are enough for the Sub to be an essential ingredient of a wireless home audio setup.%Gallery-158435%
Raumfeld's 2Raumfeld multiroom audio system reviewed, deemed sweet but no Sonos
Despite the bevy of multimedia streamers beating down your door, there are still few options available for high-end multiroom audio, and until recently the ones you'd likely consider would go by the name of Sonos. Judging by a recent UK review, that hasn't entirely changed, but a two-speaker WiFi-based setup by Germany's Raumfeld reportedly offers a reasonable challenge to the Sonos hegemony. PC Pro said the 2Raumfeld package "knocks the equivalent Sonos 250 into a cocked hat" when it came to quality sound thanks to a pair of Adam Audio-designed speakers, and praised the minimalist design and ease of setup even as minor annoyances (like the pairs of 'wireless' speakers that have to be strung together) popped up. It seems the only real flies in the ointment are the limited media browsing options available -- that sexy silver knob and touchscreen aren't enough -- and the fact that you can roll your own Sonos mesh network for less than Raumfeld's €1,225 (about $1,575) asking price, which kind of defeats the point. Read the full review at our source link.
Russound intros RF / IR-capable RFR-E5 remote
Last we heard from Russound, it was teaming up with Lifeware to create the Viiv-compliant Media Console, but this CES, it's doing it up solo and introducing a svelte new remote. Beyond the slender design, high-resolution display and the mid-mounted clickwheel, the RFR-E5 manages to stand out even further by including support for both IR and RF. The two-way design enables it to act as a "true multiroom remote control," and it can also rely on IP / Zigbee RF to communicate with an ACA-E5 Multizone Controller. Furthermore, you'll find a rechargeable battery, white LED backlighting and a cradle complete with an Ethernet port for connecting to the firm's aforementioned ACA-E5. Sadly, Russound has yet to mention how costly this one will be, but it should be available through certified integrators in Q2.
